Maison de Cinq

Friday Favorites – White Ironstone

I’m not sure when my love affair with white ironstone started, but I do know that when I remodeled my kitchen four years ago, I had already started collecting and putting it aside for the new room. For those of you not familiar with ironstone, it is antique pottery originally made in the United Kingdom. It was developed in the 19th century by potters in Staffordshire, England as a cheaper, mass-produced alternative to porcelain. Originally made in transferware patterns, beginning in the 1840s, British potteries created white ironstone for the American market where undecorated tableware was popular. read more

Feeling Blue

I have a confession to make. I have never liked blue in decorating. Oh, I wear blue, and it’s cute in my little boy’s room, but whenever I saw blue in a living space, I just didn’t love it. Perhaps it’s because my parent’s house was blue for many years (every room, mind you!) but for whatever reason, it was just not something that spoke to me. My family room/kitchen area is neutrals and cream with pops of red, and it has been like that for quite awhile now. Red toile curtains, red toile chairs, red checked roman shade and a few red striped and/or floral pillows on the cream couches. And I have always loved it. It is fresh and cheerful, and it looks great at Christmas. That is, I loved it until recently. I don’t know what happened, but I sort of woke up one day and thought, “I cannot look at this red for one more day!” I know blue is a huge trend in decorating. And of course, I’ve been seeing a ton of it; in blogs, in catalogs, on websites and on Pinterest. But I’ve certainly seen trends I didn’t follow before. And I’ve certainly seen blue photos that never spoke to me before. But now….. read more

Layer Up

Remember when just a couple of years ago the big trend in jewelry was the “statement necklace”? Big, chunky necklaces that stood out because they were oversized. One was all you needed. Well, now, it’s the opposite! Layered jewelry is the look of the moment. The necklaces are delicate and are usually combined in twos and threes for a statement, but one that is more subtle than what you get with one large necklace. The thing that I love about this look is it’s ability to go anywhere and be worn with anything. They are at once dressy but casual, edgy but classic. They look equally good with a dress, a suit, or a t-shirt and jeans. In fact, I love them best with a white men’s style shirt and loose distressed boyfriend jeans. The jewelry dresses up the casualness of the jeans, while the jeans take the necklaces down so they don’t come off too dressy. To help you get an idea of the look, here are a few photos to inspire. read more

Friday Favorites – To the Letter

I love letters in decorating. They are so personal and unique. Not only do they add some personality to the room, they also add dimension and irreverence. A room with some kind of metal or wood letter, whether it be old or new, seems to say “Relax… take a load off.” It doesn’t take itself too seriously. I personally like vintage ones more than the new, but they are actually pretty difficult to find. However, there are a lot of reproduction letters out there that do a great job of giving the look of vintage, without all the hunting! read more

Floral Fling

I have been thinking lately of incorporating the spring floral trend by buying a floral jacket. A few years ago I probably would’ve never even considered wearing one, feeling like it was too bright or too busy. But now I almost feel it’s a “must have.” All you need is one great blazer to add a lot of pop to your wardrobe for the entire spring and summer seasons. It can easily brighten up a jeans and tee outfit, while also working over a dress as a light layer. I especially like them with distressed denim!

Here is the one I ended up ordering from Nordstrom. Can’t wait to wear it on my trip to Austin next week! Ro & De floral print blazer Sheila xo

Golden

I need to step away from any thoughts of decorating, or clothing, or errands, or “to do’s” today. Last night my beloved Golden Retriever, Scout, had a sudden and unexplained seizure. It was horrible.

To experience someone you love, human or canine, thrashing and drooling and unaware is just simply, terrifying. read more